


All I want for Christmas...

by masterlokisev159



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, But not quite the way you would expect, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Domestic Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Insecure Tony, Kidnapped Tony Stark, Kissing, Light Bondage, Lots of tinsel, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pining, Possessive Steve, Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Protective Steve Rogers, Tinsel, Tony burrito
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/masterlokisev159/pseuds/masterlokisev159
Summary: It's Christmas time and all Steve can think about is Tony. About his guilt, his insecurities and how he cuts himself from the team constantly. So he comes up with a plan to get Tony back on Christmas day.Too bad he can't find Tony anywhere. Thankfully Clint and Nat might have the perfect gift to cheer him up.Set just after Age of Ultron.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 15
Kudos: 276
Collections: AvengersS2





	All I want for Christmas...

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!! 
> 
> A story about Steve pining for Tony and wanting him to understand. Also features Tony-burrito and a non-vent-climbing Clint. Enjoy!

Christmas was always a good time for everyone. Happiness reigned from all sides, even extending to soldiers in different parts of the country and it was one holiday Steve had always appreciated, even during the war. It was nice to see that Christmas spirit was still felt even in this day and age, and he could relate!

Not to mention, it was always exciting to see what his team was up to.

It was ten days till Christmas and the team seemed to be all over the place. Clint and Thor were having a mass decorating session that included flooding Tony's main living room with so much tinsel, you had to watch your step in case you fell and became the next bundle of joy. 

The tree in the corner was also huge, scraping the ceiling and casting a gold hue all across the sofas in the huge room. Since there was no fire place, the stockings had been hung up on top of the TV which was mounted on the wall, each one the correct colour combination for each Avenger. Tony had been as observant as always.

Tony had told Steve he'd particularly enjoyed finding them and was proud he'd managed to track down a Black Widow one, considering Nat's tendency to threaten the press if they so much as involved her in anything stupid or even remotely embarrassing. No one wanted to take a chance, especially the public.

"Steve! Come and help me pin this up please?" Clint was balancing precariously on a step ladder, dangling a piece of mistletoe in his hands. Of course, Thor was busy covering the tree with yet more tinsel and looking confused as to why there was so much. Steve wasn't surprised why.  
  
"There should be more tinsel!" The god finally decided as he went off to fetch some more, presumably. 

_Or not._

Steve shook his head and smiled, walking towards Clint. He took the mistletoe and held it beneath the TV.

"Here?" He smiled cheerily watching the fumes leave Clint’s ears. Steve couldn't help it.

Clint just glared at him and came down from the stepladder, crossing his arms at ground level.

"Captain Spangles. Just cause we all don't grow with magic juice doesn’t mean we-hey yeah, right there! Just stick it there, ok and...perfect! Awesome." 

Steve frowned a little at that. All he’d done was step off the ladder and pin the mistletoe right by the tree. How was that perfect? No one would see it unless they searched for it. And bent down a lot.

He'd never understand some of the things Clint did but he was agreeable. He stepped back and let it be. 

And as great as it was seeing Clint and Thor being festive, they weren't the person he was looking for.

"Clint, do you know where Tony is? I wanted to talk to him." 

Clint shrugged and stuck another mistletoe near the door. That made at least six in just one room.

"Haven't seen him. Thought he was with you." 

It was not the answer he was hoping for.

He'd wanted to speak to the resident engineer for a while now but hadn't seen him since he’d left for a last minute meeting in Singapore a few days ago. 

He was supposed to have been back yesterday evening to help set up for Christmas or frankly just be there but he hadn't arrived. And it wasn’t like Steve hadn’t tried. He had called him several times but of course, there was still no answer.

See, the simple fact of the matter was that Tony had far too many enemies for Steve **not** to worry about him. 

Clint must have noticed his expression because instantly, his smile disappeared. He'd stopped looking at the decorations too and was now looking directly at him.

"You think something's happened to him?"

He had no idea but he knew his heart rate wasn’t supposed to be this high. "He was supposed to be back yesterday Clint. And he's not picking up my calls."

Clint's eyes narrowed as he spoke out. "Friday, can you trace Tony's phone and find out where he is?"

"I'm afraid Mr. Stark is currently unavailable. His phone cannot be traced at this time and Miss. Potts has not contacted him for two days as she is currently in Beijing."

"What's going on?" A new voice piped up and both Avengers turned to see Sam standing by the door, holding a few bags full of brightly decorated food and Natasha looking angry behind him. They let the bags drop by the door and joined them. 

"He said he was gonna be here by yesterday at the latest. Where is he?" Natasha stated as she looked at them with something dark in her eyes, probably directed towards any poor asshole that had messed with Tony. Steve could relate. Finally someone understood him.

"We all agreed to have Christmas here at his place instead of the facility. He wouldn't cut us off would he?" Sam added as he put the bags aside stood beside Clint.

"What's going on?" Thor appeared through the door, concern dominating his expression.

"We don't know where Tony is-"

"Nat? What are you talking about? Has something happened to Tony?" Bruce's voice climbed higher with each word and really, that was enough for Steve.

Feeling strong and battle ready, Steve nodded while mentally gearing up for combat. Christmas cheer could wait.

"Assemble the rest of the team Friday. Activate the alarm and get Vision, Wanda and Rhodey to get here now. And tell them that Tony needs us-"

"To do what? Can’t a guy catch a break?" 

The large group turned towards the door in sync and Steve almost wanted to cry with relief. Tony Stark stood there in a dark black business suit with his typical sunglasses covering his eyes and one hand holding a large black suitcase, the other resting casually in his pocket. He was smiling slightly and looking every bit professional and the smart Stark he was, but Steve was too busy to appreciate it. Something was far more important at this moment.

Steve stormed up to Tony and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him slightly. How this man drove him crazy, no one knew.

"Where were you!? Why didn't you pick up when I called you!? And where the hell is your suitcase armour!?" Each word got louder and louder, completely ignoring the small " _language_ " from Sam in the corner. 

Tony stopped smiling and looked around. With a dawning realization, he noticed everyone looking half ready to level a city. Straightening his suit out, he put his suitcase down and folded his arms. 

Steve nearly scoffed.

_Tony thinks he could actually justify this!?_

"Well? Answer me!" He shook Tony again until the engineer sighed and rested his hands on top of Steve's.

"Look, my phones' dead. That's why I didn't pick up. Also-" He looked up to scan everyone, trying to look relaxed but Steve could tell he was beyond surprised. "-our meeting was postponed by another day so I got a later flight."

Natasha stepped forward and folded her arms. "You know we were ready to send a search party and start threatening anyone who'd seen you." She shook her head in disappointment and looked straight at Tony, pinning him with her stare. "Don't do that to us Tony."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Steve knew Tony would’ve been surprised by it but he still hadn't expected Tony to just stand there, eyes wide beneath the glasses and slightly open mouthed. So Steve took advantage and placed his hands on Tony's cheeks cupping his face slightly.

"You scared us. Please let us know where you are and take your armour with you, you know how important it is." He said and finally, his anger deflated as he looked at the smaller being. 

Tony looked every bit confused and very tired, so Steve suppressed the urge to bundle him up in his arms and never let him go.

Of course Tony had no idea what Steve wanted to do with him. He was always careful about hiding his attraction for Tony.

"It was just a meeting..." Tony spoke grimly as if it hurt to admit. After Ultron, Steve had noticed Tony's constant attempt to distance himself from all of them and Steve hadn't let him. He figured it was likely that Tony carried a huge amount of guilt for what had happened and didn't feel like he deserved to be on the team. It was also very likely that same blame tended to stretch to even the small things, like this meeting. He was almost one hundred percent sure. He knew Tony too well.

He let his hands fall from Tony’s face and wrapped his arms around the engineer, pulling him against him. Tony pretty much fell against his chest and exhaled, closing his eyes and Steve tipped his head down, really looking this time.

Tony was ever so slightly pale and swaying gently on his feet, putting almost all of his weight on Steve. His eyes fluttered like he could barely stay awake and even his breathing was more forced. He was exhausted. 

Steve's heart clenched and instinctively he tightened his grip on him and looked at the others all watching them with relief. Calmly, he instructed Clint.

"Can you bring a blanket from Tony’s room?"

Clint bolted and quickly came back with one neatly folded over his arm. As the adrenaline rush started to drop, the team all sat on the sofas and chairs scattered around with the exception of Clint, Thor and Sam who continued to add decorations all over the place. 

Steve guided Tony to sit next to him and wrapped the blanket around him several times, all the while watching as Tony just blinked and let him. He smirked when he sat back and inspected the Tony-burrito he'd made and caught the pillow Nat tossed. 

Once they were comfy, Tony sighed and leaned against the back of the sofa, closing his eyes. His sunglasses had been pushed back into his hair and Steve thought he looked absolutely adorable. He was the perfect image of a sleepy, comfy, slightly baffled, bundled billionaire who had been surrounded by a Christmas explosion. It was perfect in its chaos. 

Steve sighed and leaned against the back of the sofa, watching him and feeling content.

"I'm sorry I didn't call in to let you guys know what was happening. I was just really caught up." Tony said quietly, though he was looking solely at Steve as he spoke.

"You better call next time Tony otherwise I’m not joking, I will make a public announcement and get the entire team and Shield to come after you. And Fury will do it, he cares about you and you know it."

Rolling her eyes at the two, Natasha shook her head. "You have to take your suitcase armour with you when you go on your own. Just like I take my knives."

"And I take my bow."

"You never see me leaving home without my shield right?"

"Mjolnir how did you get here!?" 

Thor beamed as he noticed his hammer under the tree. The team laughed as Bruce laid out some tea and handed it to everyone and Steve held Tony's while he fished out his hands from the blanket. Together, they all relaxed and began to discuss gifts. 

Since they'd all been on various mission or meetings, they all still needed to get a few things and finish up. Steve knew he still needed to do something for Wanda, Rhodey and Vision since he'd already finished his gifts for the others. Tony’s, he'd finished first because he'd been so eager and he couldn't wait to give it to him on the day. He also had another gift in mind but he still needed to discuss it with the others.

"So Cap, I have tried looking everywhere for something to get you but dude, you're like, the hardest person to shop for. So I'm just gonna ask you straight, what do you want for Christmas?" Sam leaned forward and stared at him intently as he spoke and Steve paused to think about it. What a question indeed.

_What do I want?_

"Come on Cap, there's got to be something you want? Anything we can do for you?" Clint added, leaning his chin on his clasped hands. Steve was instantly reminded of the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.

He needed to say something. They were all silent and waiting for his answer. Problem was, he genuinely didn't know what he wanted and if he was honest, he-

"Don't think too hard Cap, what's the first thing that comes to mind?" Tony nudged gently and gave him a warm smile.

Steve blinked. He took one look at the grinning genius beside him and felt his heart race. 

Tony was easy on the eyes, no doubt, but he was more than just looks, he was kind, sweet, witty and brilliant in all the ways Steve wanted. A true hero sat before him, sipping on his tea and drowning in a sea of blanket all wrapped up for Christmas.

Oh, Steve _knew_ what he wanted alright.

Something snapped across the room. "Steve? Earth to Captain America?" Clint clapped his hands again and Steve jerked.

He looked away from Tony and turned his gaze back to his tea, sighing to himself. He could feel everyone's stare on him but he ignored it. Best to pretend he hadn't lost himself in the moment.

"I don't need anything, I'm happy we're all together. You're all family to me. Best I could ask for." He mumbled into his cup, feeling like a heel.

To his left, Clint snorted. "In that case, Tony would be the- _ow!_ What was that for?" Clint glared at Thor who just shrugged and continued to spin Mjolnir in his hands.

Finally starting to wake up, Tony sat up and shook his head. "Come on, Steve! There must be something that star-spangled heart wants! Maybe the American flag? Three tank salute? A giant cheeseburger, supersoldier sized?" 

Steve narrowed his eyes at Tony and smirked. A strange thought popped into his head at the last comment. "Maybe I want a giant billionaire-burrito, pre-wrapped with a spangly bow on his head. Plus a side of Dum-E, extra charged. How about that, philanthropist? Get to it."

Tony laughed and shook his head fondly. "Oh please Capsicle, as if you could handle getting _this_ for Christmas." He gestured to himself and raised his eyebrows suggestively which forced Steve to turn away in case anyone caught his blush. God, he hated it when that happened!

For a moment there was silence and then Bruce cleared his throat.

"Burritos aren't American Steve." He said and smiled quietly. The rest of the group smiled too and Steve thought he noticed a shuffle from Natasha's side. Then Clint and Sam stood up and stretched.

"Alright guys, we're gonna hit the sac. I suggest you all think about heading off too. _Alons-y_ and all that."

At the suggestion, Nat stood up too. "I'll see you all in the morning." She said simply and together, they made their way out.

Before leaving however, Nat paused by the door.

"Don't forget your armour Tony. Even when you sleep, have it by you. We'll carry on training tomorrow with Steve." 

Tony groaned but conceded, putting his empty mug on the table and shoving his arms back into the warm blanket. 

"Sparing with you guys? Sure, kill me faster why don't you." He tried to widen his eyes and stick out his lower lip but her expression remained unchanged. Disheartened, Tony was forced to sigh and accept his fate.

"Fine. Just let me sleep in the morning though. I am genuinely tired." He muttered and everyone paused slightly to look at him with concern because Tony Stark _never_ admitted to being tired. Steve thought that alone, was a clear enough sign.

He stood up and towered over Tony. 

"Come on, lets get you to bed." In response, Tony yawned and buried himself deeper into the covers around him. He didn't protest however when Steve circled his arms around his waist and picked him up like a, well a giant burrito and slung him over his shoulder, massive blanket and all. Tony released a small grunt at the change but didn't do much else. Satisfied, Steve followed Nat, Clint and Sam out and joined them in the elevator.

"Tony's room first please, Friday."

"Certainly Captain." The lift shifted and ascended silently. 

Steve shifted the sleepy bundle on his shoulder carefully, giving the others a funny look when Nat smiled at both Clint and Sam. 

"He's really out of it, isn't he?" She said, her voice hushed.

"He is. I don't think he's slept much while he's been away." Steve lowered his voice. Tony did look a bit too pale to claim he'd been sleeping and eating well these last few days.

"You were worried about him." She whispered, her expression back to neutral and he couldn't help but agree.

"Yeah. I always worry about him." Steve blew out a breath and huffed before adding; "It would be great if I could have him like this more often."

"I bet." Clint spoke softly, something knowing in his eyes.

When the doors opened, he whispered goodnight and made his way to Tony's room. Careful to not shift the now asleep Stark, he unwrapped him from his blanket and lay him on the bed. 

He suppressed a blush when he undid and removed Tony's belt but did nothing else except take off his shoes, tie, watch and sunglasses and place them on the nearby chair. He saw Tony shiver a bit and finally grabbed the blanket and covered him with it carefully before laying him down completely. 

Pleased that he'd done his job and managed to contain himself, he smiled at Tony and ran his fingers through the wavy hair that was totally out of control. 

Flashing a quick glance over his shoulder, Steve debated on whether or not to do what he wanted and in the end, bravery won and so, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Tony's hair, feeling proud of the trust Tony had in him to even see him like this. 

They were still close despite Ultron and he was so glad for it.

Smiling, he switched off the lights and went to his own room. He had some final paperwork to complete.

* * *

The days passed quickly and before he knew it, it was three days to Christmas Eve. At eight in the evening, Steve wandered down to the living room. 

Natasha and Wanda were sat side by side, discussing something with cups of coffee on the table. They stopped as soon as he walked in and he sighed to himself quietly. It was probably something Wanda wanted to confide in Nat to specifically.

As great as it was that Wanda could turn to someone on the team who was more experienced, he didn't appreciate the secrecy. Steve knew where that had led them before.

"Steve sit. You alright?" Natasha nodded as she lifted up her coffee for a sip and he took that as a sign to sit on the nearby couch.

He shook his head and leaned back, folding his arms. "Don't mind me, I'm just enjoying the limited break we get these days." 

"Those who need the Avengers are few. Those who actually challenge us are more. It's hard to avoid." Wanda agreed as she lifted her cup and pulled her legs up onto the sofa.

"Yeah, I know. Believe me, I mean the number of times I've wanted to just come here and see Tony after-" he stopped abruptly and looked up to see their expressions. 

Both looked at each other, had a silent conversation and then looked back at him.

"You miss him on the team. And living with him here." Wanda concluded, not hiding the curious look she had on her face. 

Steve knew denying it would be pointless to these two and living here had been so comforting. He didn't think of the comment with regards to Tony.

"There's something to this tower that feels more...at home than the facility I guess..."

Natasha nodded. "I know what you mean. It might be because it all started here and feels like home. After Loki's invasion, this was our home for a while." She looked at the row of stockings hung up. The JARVIS and FRIDAY stockings still brought a warm feeling to all of them. Typical Tony. 

"Iron man should be on our team. He's resourceful and capable but above all-" she fixed her gaze on him. "-he's a reliable teammate. And a friend."

The documents flashed before his eyes and before he could say anything, Wanda spoke softly.

"It's my fault he doesn't want to be on this team. I have caused that fear and I regret it."

Steve could see where this was going and decided it might as well come out between the three of them. He'd always wondered...

"What did you make him see?" 

"I targeted him first as Hydra said it would be the smartest move. And..."

He'd always suspected Wanda had attacked Tony first in some way, so he wasn't surprised by her response.

"And?" Natasha prompted as she straightened up.

"I made him see his fear. He stood alone and saw all of you." She looked away then and instantly Steve knew he wasn't going to like this. "Dead. Defeated at the hands of enemies from space. Perhaps enemies you've already faced. It made him build Ultron because he believed he could save you with it. But then..." She waved her hand casually and a wave of red followed the gesture. 

"You know what happened. And I paid my price too." 

Steve suppressed the urge to run out and reassure Tony that it wouldn't happen, that whatever he saw wouldn't occur. That he wouldn't let it but instead, Steve forced the feeling down and continued to focus on the conversation at hand.

He took a deep breath. They were going to be the first to know and part of him was worried about what Wanda would say.

"I'm going to offer him a place on the team. For Christmas. And this time I'm not going to let him say no without a good enough reason."

There was a moment of quiet before Wanda nodded and smiled gently. He thought it actually looked very unusual on her.

"He is not a bad man, just scared. He was kind enough to invite even me for this month so that we could all be together. I misjudged him but I am prepared to give him a chance."

Natasha was far more firm. "Don't let him say no. We'll completely back you up on this. I'm sure everyone else will too."

A smile graced his lips. He knew they would. That day when Tony had supposedly gone missing, the majority of them looked ready to kill to get him back. That kind of protection didn't just exist in a team. It existed in family and Tony was family.

He cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Will you help me finalize the paperwork? I need that signature from Fury." 

* * *

Just past one in the morning, Steve crept into the living room and turned the lights on at a dim setting. 

Tomorrow morning would be Christmas and he could say, without a doubt that he was extremely excited. As he piled the gifts he had for everyone under the tree, he thought about the reactions he was expecting.

Mainly Tony's.

This was the second Christmas he was having in this tower and he wanted to show Tony that he would be there to offer a home just as Tony had for him. And that was why he had gone round and asked each of the Avengers to support him in getting Tony back on the team. 

Clint, Thor and Bruce were around and the offer was also open to them, which they had accepted on the condition that it was when they were available, but they had never flat out said they weren't Avengers anymore in the first place. 

They were, it was just Tony who didn't think he was anymore and that needed to change.

Thankfully the whole team (and even Pepper) were in complete agreement. And when he'd told Fury yesterday, Nick had been pleased. He'd promised to make it official and then days later, a thin folder titled ' _Hot Rod_ _recruitment_ ' had arrived and he signed most of the sheets off on Tony's behalf. So everything was done and all he had to do was get a yes out of Tony.

He could get that. He _would_ get that.

Pepper and Rhodey had told him Tony wanted to be on the team and that Iron man and the Avengers were the best things that had ever happened to him (his own words apparently) but that he felt he'd lost that right when he decided to build Ultron. So Steve knew where the doubts stemmed from.

And finding out about the vision Wanda had made Tony see, confirmed Steve's decision. 

" _Shhh!_ _Stop it!_ " A shrill voice from outside the room hissed quietly and then something rustled. Jumping out of his skin, Steve mentally counted down and walked carefully towards the door. Then he heard another voice.

"What Nat? This corner is tight!"

A metal _**thwomp**_. And then;

"Aren't you supposed to be a master climber or something? Don't you come up here often?" 

Steve sighed and stepped out into the corridor, turning off the lights completely. He looked up and stared at the metal grates that were hidden in the ceiling and waited to hear something else. So far, he knew Nat, Clint and Sam were crawling in the vents. But where-

"Stop moving it!" Natasha hissed out and he heard more metallic scratching from above. 

"If you're this loud when we get there, he'll hear us." 

Steve frowned. He wondered what Wanda was doing with them. It was a bit of an odd thing for all of them to be roaming around in such a weird way at one in the morning on Christmas, well _day_ now.

And were they talking about _him?_

"Hey don't shift it too much or it'll get dented. This size isn't easy to find you know."

"Aren't there rumours going around that you're an expert vent climber?"

"Bullshit. All of it, I never use vents in my life. Can't shoot anything."

Shrugging, he decided he'd ask them about it in the morning. Right now he was tired and didn't really have the patience to find out. 

_Who knows? Maybe they're just organizing a last minute present or something?_

* * *

"Merry Christmas Clint!" Steve yelled loudly outside the archer's door. He'd just finished showering after his morning run and decided to wake up all the sleepy Avengers.

"Go away Steve! Take your morning Christmas cheer and feed it to some other bird!" The muffled sound made him smirk and he knocked again.

"Sams' already up. So is Wanda, Vision, Nat and Bruce. And if I go get Thor, I'm bringing him here!" Steve fought to keep the laugh from his voice and waited for an answer.

"Alright alright, I'm up! God, can't a guy just have a nice lie in every once in a while." The door opened and out stepped Hawkeye, rubbing his eyes tiredly and shaking out his wild hair like a cockatoo. Steve tilted his head and gave his best poster-boy look.

"Merry Christmas Avenger!" He smiled brightly as Clint shoved past him.

"Yeah yeah, screw you too Cap."

Rolling his eyes, he watched Clint leave and took the next couple of flights of stairs to Thor's floor. 

He still had no idea how Tony had managed to find so much gold paint for the walls but Thor had loved his living room instantly.

"Merry Christmas Thor!" He yelled, banging on the door and smiling at the rustling on the other side. There was a click, and the door slid open, revealing a beaming Thor in black pants, a gaudy red Christmas jumper and Christmas antlers.

He pulled Steve close and laughed merrily. 

"Joyous greetings to you as well Captain!" He laughed and set Steve back down on his feet. "Has everyone gathered for breakfast?"

Thor's enthusiasm was magnetic and he couldn't help but grin just as brightly. At least someone was excited. "Yep I think everyone's there except Tony." 

Thor's expression turned serious for a moment and he frowned. 

"Stark is unwilling to partake in team activities isn't he? You are right to want him to rejoin, Captain and I would very much like to be there to see it happen."

It was during moments like this that Steve really understood why Thor was everyone's favorite.

"Yes I'm going to ask him today and give him the file. Anyway, lets go to the kitchen. I'll get some coffee and take it to Tony and bring him down."

As they made their way to the kitchen, Steve wondered if Tony even knew what everyone thought of him.

* * *

"I'm just going to take some coffee to Tony. Who knows? He might actually join us." Steve grumbled and seconds later, winced at his own sarcasm as he stood up with the coffee mug.

It was half past ten and everyone was perched on a stool around the island in the kitchen, drinking some cinnamon coffee and laughing at each others hideous jumpers. 

Everyone, except Tony and Steve wasn't enjoying this nearly as much as he had wanted to. Gone was the Christmas cheer, replaced by a dark cloud of frustration that Steve couldn't shake.

Clint paused his laughing and frowned. Wanda looked away before speaking quietly.

"He does not want to get involved."

Was Tony having an extreme moment of guilt and felt Christmas was for the current Avengers only? 

Steve stood taller. If that was the case, then he had no choice but to change it.

"Why wouldn't he?" Bruce asked with obvious concern as he placed his mug on the table. Steve agreed, it wasn't a good sign from Tony. Natasha shrugged, looking blank and stood up, putting her mug in the sink.

"He's too busy. We can get started on presents and things and he'll probably join us then." She nodded towards the main living room and Clint and Sam stood too.

Steve sighed sadly and looked down at the spare mug in his hand for Tony. He'd been holding it since they all came in at around eight and while everyone had drunk a few cups full, Tony hadn't even come down to have one. When he'd gone down to the engineers bedroom and knocked, there'd been no reply and Friday had said the workshop was on lock down for the moment too. 

Steve didn't know when Tony was coming but he was determined to wait it out if he had to. And that's what he'd do, he decided.

"Guys you can go ahead but I'm waiting for Tony. He'll be here." 

He sat back down calmly and reached for a gingerbread piece on the side. The others were giving each other funny looks and Clint shifted on his feet awkwardly. Steve chose to ignore them all, casually chewing on his gingerbread.

Finally Clint coughed and replied.

"Okay we won't do presents just yet. But at least come with us to the living room so you can wait there and we can watch a Christmas story."

Steve smiled as Thor laughed and stood to follow Clint.

"I have heard of this film! We should see this first hand! Come Captain!"

As he sighed and walked over to Sam, he noticed Natasha give Clint and Wanda a glare and make an odd gesture with her hand. 

If he didn't know any better, he'd have said there may have been some morse code in that.

* * *

After watching two whole films, it was the afternoon and there was still no sign of Tony. It bothered Steve a lot considering he wanted to ask him about becoming a full time Avenger again. All his plans were getting ruined.

Steve wasn't an idiot. He'd spotted Clint getting more twitchy as time went on. It was starting to get to the point where they were all noticing the strikingly empty seat next to Steve. And with the negative expression he probably had, he was sure he was putting the other's moods off.

All of a sudden, Clint bounced up onto his feet and clapped his hands together, rubbing them nervously. 

"Okay, how about those presents now huh! We can't wait forever, it'll kill me!"

It was a sad thing, Steve thought, as he watched he team pull out their presents from under the tree nervously as if worried something would snap. Even Bruce was looking slightly green, but not the Hulk kind. He looked just as upset and Steve felt. 

Steve blinked. He wanted his genius-billionaire-philanthropist there by his side, where Tony should always be. And he couldn't even get Tony to come up here because Friday kept telling him, Tony's workshop was on lock down. 

It completely decimated his Christmas spirit.

"Thanks Sam, these are awesome, we can build an epic bird nest!" Clint squeezed his massive bird pillow and sighed happily as Wanda opened her little red riding hood pillow, Natasha poked her spider one playfully, Thor held a lightening bolt and Bruce clutched a giant green apple. Even Vision had a Watermelon one.

And Steve knew that as he opened his, that circle shaped present under the tree was no doubt, Tony’s.

His was a Captain America Shield pillow. He'd seen a matching Iron man pillow somewhere online too. Maybe it wasn't the same brand but it was still a pillow of Iron man.

"Hey what's the matter, you don't like it?" Sam asked carefully as if he knew there was going to be a problem. 

Steve huffed slightly and smiled up at him. It felt weak and brittle and probably looked it too because everyone's faces dropped.

"It's great Sam thanks." He looked under the tree and hugged the pillow to his chest. 

From the corner of his eye, he saw Thor looking distressed and Natasha looking contemplative. If Steve knew her, he could guess she knew what the problem was already. Subtlety wasn't his thing. 

The silence was tense before Black Widow nodded to the others and stood up with Clint, Wanda and Sam in sync. Vision's voice pulled him out of his misery.

"Is everything alright?" He sounded so concerned and ready to stand as well. _Good_ , Steve thought. At least someone on the team was concerned.

"Yes. We just thought we would give Steve our joint present for him. It'll cheer him up." 

"Hey no, I'm fine, honestly-" he was met with a cold stare before Nat turned and left the room with Sam, Clint and Wanda marching behind. 

"You are dissatisfied Captain." Vision observed calmly but leaned forward patiently. Thor and Bruce also watched him until finally, he shrugged and decided to tell them. Since he was doing such a bad job of hiding it apparently.

"I wish Tony was here." He whispered and Thor looked away, nodding.

"Yes. Anthony should be by your side at this time, no doubt."

Bruce rubbed his head and took off his glasses, leaning back on his chair. "Why can't he see that we want him with us?" He huffed and leaned on his apple pillow.

"I just want-" Steve clamped his mouth shut instantly and gaped at the door where a huge red box, the size of a large table with a large gold bow on the top and golden swirls were decorating the rims, was being carried in by Natasha, Clint, Wanda and Sam, over their shoulders, one corner per person. Carefully they set the massive present at Steve's feet and stepped back. Clint and Natasha grinned at him while he noticed Wanda look away slightly and Sam looking bashful.

Steve gaped slightly. It was so big but thankfully Thor asked the million dollar question that he, Vision and Bruce were also desperate to know.

"What is this? A magnificent size for the Captain no doubt but, this is very large my friends." 

The thunder god quirked an eyebrow at Wanda who outright blushed and looked down into her hands. 

"Open it Steve. It'll make you happy." Clint however was tilting on the balls of his feet and beaming now and Nat gave a curt nod.

Steve tried to smile back and reached for the ribbon. He could guess it was probably a Captain America or maybe even an Iron man furniture piece or something that was hard to find that they got last minute. What else would explain the size and colour?

"Open it Steve. Even the Hulks' curious." Bruce muttered and it was enough to spur Steve into action. 

He undid the ribbon and pulled apart the strings holding the lid on top. Putting both hands on one side of the lid, he carefully lifted it up and looked down at the contents.

And he blinked. Someone might have gasped (Bruce, his mind supplied distantly) but everyone else was frozen.

He blinked again and scanned the inside of the box carefully once more before pulling his eyes away to look at Natasha directly. Only she would-only _she_ was capable of getting this done.

"Natasha." He spoke calmly, voice surprisingly steady, expression blank. 

Her lips curved into an evil smile. "Yes Steve?"

"Did you seriously just give me Tony for Christmas?"

She rolled her eyes at him and pointed down at the resident genius in the box and Steve followed the motion to again find himself fixated on the subject.

Tony was lying on his back, tied up inside the box with bright blue tinsel around his upper body, arms and ankles. Tape covered his mouth completely and he just lay there, staring up at everyone from where he was but eventually just settled on blinking at Steve. There was a large thick mattress and red quilt tucked beneath him that he was lying on and despite the situation, he looked fairly relaxed in black pajama bottoms and his AC/DC shirt. He even had a thin white ribbon tied around his forehead that was pushed back, causing his hair to stick up completely at the front (just how Steve liked to leave Tony's hair when he ruffled it) and a small card that was attached to a string looped around his neck. With shaky careful hands (Steve was dealing with a gift after all) he reached out and turned the card around to read it. 

It said;

**_'Dear Steve. We noticed that you said you might like a Tony-burrito (blanket style) of your own so we thought, 'hell lets try' and well, here you go._ **

**_Merry Christmas!_ **  
**_From Clint, Natasha, Sam and Wanda_ **

He let go and rested his hands on his cheeks and elbows on his knees, looking at Tony, considering.

"So this is where you went. You always end up coming back to me somehow don't you?" Steve hummed as he reached out and took the white ribbon off his head gently, watching it slip past brown locks of curly hair. 

There were still smudges of grease on his face from the workshop, and for a moment, Steve panicked about how long Tony had been kept like this. In fact he hadn't even tried to move.

"Easy Cap, he's fine, he's just a bit sedated that's all. He just woke up too and we didn't tie him until before breakfast." Clint said, raising his arms.

"You sedated him!? Why isn't he-Tony? Tony, can you hear me?" Bruce said frantically. The Hulk looked very close to coming out but Steve had eyes only on Tony. Who was nodding at the question slowly as if he was just beginning to realize what was going on. But as soon as Steve saw Tony's eyes widen in fear, Steve instantly stepped into the box and knelt by Tony. He ran a hand through his hair to calm him down and turned him towards him gently.

"Are you alright Tony?" Tony nodded and tracked Steve's movement as the Captain reached out and (as painlessly as he could) removed the strip covering his mouth, causing the genius to cough slightly at the taste. But he smiled gratefully and turned slightly, looking confused at the box he was in.

"Thanks Steve. How'd I...?"

Steve finally smiled, pleased that Tony wasn't too worried right now, just a little confused. A small part of him jumped happily at the fact that Tony felt comfortable enough to just trust him even when tied up and defenseless like this. A bigger part leapt at the idea of Tony being here and shockingly an even _larger_ part was so happy with his present.

"Hey, you two should probably look up." Sam pointed out and everyone looked up.

_Oh. Stupidly placed mistletoe._

Steve looked down to watch Tony's expression carefully but the billionaire looked shy.

_Hmm._

"That means a kiss guys. Come on, it's Christmas and Steve's finally smiling." Clint urged hopefully.

"You must Captain, there is Midgardian tradition to follow!"

Soon enough they were all encouraging Steve to do something and when he looked at Tony once more and saw the slightly nervous but hopeful expression, he decided that he was gonna go for it. All or nothing.

He lifted Tony up and pulled him close, holding him against his chest with one arm and using the other to submerge his hand into Tony's hair and guide his mouth towards his.

The room went quiet as he tilted his head, closed his eyes and pressed his lips softly against Tony's. It was a burst of emotions, Tony was here with him and he was _kissing_ him and Tony was surprisingly pliant and submissive in this. Steve had assumed Tony would be more fiery or passion filled but it was like he was happy to take anything Steve gave him and no more. If that was true then Steve would go further. He bit down gently on Tony's lower lip and slipped his tongue in when Tony gasped in surprise.

_Mine. He's mine._

"Right, okay...we'll go and leave you guys in peace. Bye!" Clint pretty much blurted as he skipped out of the room. Natasha gestured to the door and the rest of the team, baring Tony and Steve, followed her out of the room.

As soon as everyone left, Steve pulled back to look at his gift and smiled. Tony looked very happy to be tied up in his arms and certainly Steve wasn't going to complain, _no sir_.

Steve traced a finger lightly over Tony’s cheek. “Are you alright?” He breathed softly.

“I’m okay. I really don’t remember much of how I got here but...” Tony seemed to be contemplating what he wanted to say. Finally he settled on smiling up at Steve with bright eyes.

“That was nice. What just happened there.”

Steve nodded. “It was. I really enjoyed it.”

“Yeah...” Tony bit his lip and looked down and Steve was oddly struck by how bashful Tony looked. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist and he was _shy._

_How can I not want him?_

“Do you think...” Tony continued to chew his lip as he hesitated. “Do you think we could do that again?” He finally said and looked up hopefully. 

Steve’s heart melted.

“C’mere.” He growled a little and pulled Tony up again, guiding their lips together and stealing Tony’s breath as much as he could. Steve pushed and pushed and Tony took it all. When they pulled away this time, Tony was beaming.

“ _Wow!_ Merry Christmas to me!”

Even though Steve should’ve expected that kind of response from Tony, he still let out a hysterical laugh. “Me too. It’s my present after all.”

“Yeah.” Tony glanced down at himself and shivered. “I’m all...wrapped up for you.”

_Down boy._

Licking his lips, Steve swept his eyes over Tony’s form, feeling confident in his new freedom to do so. Especially since his present looked so excited. Steve wanted to have Tony like this, always.

Which reminded him.

“You know, I still haven’t given you my present.” Steve murmured, hoping against hope that this would be a perfect Christmas after all.

“A present for a present? That seems...unusual.” Tony said happily, eyes still wide with wonder and joy at the turn of events. It gave Steve that final push, seeing that light in Tony’s eyes.

“I want you to join the team again. Officially.” He stated, watching the wave of emotions flood Tony’s features. While waiting for Tony to make up his mind, Steve scanned the tree for his present and reached over. Grasping the file in one hand, he held it out for Tony to see.

Then Steve looked up at him and smiled. Tony’s mouth fell open.

“I-“

“Tony.”

“But I’m not-“

“No Tony, just...no.” Steve pleaded, finally ducking his eyes down in the hopes that Tony would relent.

“C’mon Shellhead. Make my wish list come true.” He finally pushed, trying for a watery smile since it was the best he could do.

Then to his absolute delight, something wonderful happened.

“Yes. Okay.” Tony’s eyes watered slightly but he didn’t take it back. “I’ll come back. I’ll try it again.”

 _Merry Christmas to me_ , Steve thought to himself as he leaned down and stole another kiss.

"It's the right decision. And besides-" Steve's eyes were bright but his expression was sultry. "-think of what I can do to you like this. You can't escape."

Delighted, Tony laughed and tried to squirm out of his bonds. The fact that he couldn't made Steve lick his lips and lean closer. 

_Merry Christmas indeed._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed this! Honestly, I wrote this story a couple of years ago (If you can't tell by how different it is to my usual style now-I'll be honest, this is not how I would write it now, but I hope its okay :) but I always wanted to post it around Christmas time to add to the cheer! I hope you enjoyed Tony being wrapped up and I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday :))  
> Please do check out my other fics-In answer to everyone wondering about A helping hand, Need is Just a word, The Red String and Take me out Tonight, please don't worry, they are ready to be updated so they will be next (I just wanted this to be posted now around Christmas ;)
> 
> Please let me know if this made you smile :)
> 
> Come chat to me on tumblr!  
> https://masterlokisev159.tumblr.com


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